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The star has handed over the entirety of his £25,000 award cash to the MVT, which functions to preserve the United Kingdom's independent concert spaces.

He was given the prize on October 16 as his latest record his work was chosen as the best record of the previous year.

The musician has decided to donate the funds to the Music Venues Trust, in appreciation of the crucial part grassroots venues had in his initial steps.

"As an artist would not have achieved this success if it hadn't been for all the shows I performed around the region, and beyond, when I was starting out," said Fender. "These venues are renowned, but they are facing challenges."

Since the start of 2023, more than 150 of these locations have shut down – about 16 percent of the whole industry in the UK.

Recently, major artists such as the band Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the MVT in its efforts to help venues survive, by adding a modest fee to their ticket prices, which benefits local stages.

Sam Fender also joined in, raising in excess of £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to help thirty-eight local spots across the UK.

The donation helped locations that were facing possible closure due to issues caused by flooding, blazes and bereavements, as well as permit problems, conflicts and neighbor objections.

Other venues were granted monetary aid in upgrading amenities and gear that directly benefitted musicians and audiences.

"The concept that money from performances in large arenas backs the independent spots, where it begins for artists like me, is just sensible," the star has commented.

He is not the first artist to donate his honor winnings to charitable organizations.

Back when they earned the award in the year 1996 for their album their work, frontman Jarvis Cocker announced that the band would contribute their cash to the non-profit War Child.

During 2002, rapper and singer Ms Dynamite divided her award among a few organizations, like the children's charity and a charity for Sickle Cell.

"I also contributed a grand to my local community centre, to their classes, because I practiced gymnastics when I was younger and they needed new equipment," the artist shared with outlets.

Previously, the band gave their winnings to the youth organization that supported their act, as well as other independent music bodies.

Also 1994 winners they contributed their prize to a multiple sclerosis charity after a close contact was found to have the illness.

"The victory was sufficient," stated artist Small. "The cash was the extra but we could do without the extra, because we had the cake. So our victory affected somebody else's life."

Last week, the Music Venues Trust revealed it had rescued a couple of grassroots venues in that region, by placing them under community ownership.

One venue in Southampton and The Croft in Bristol were purchased under the public acquisition initiative, which is supported by Arts Council England and supporters who acquire "ownership units" in the buildings.